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Some Uses of Bacteria

Bacteria are very in these days—in probiotic drinks, in news articles, and in scientific research about the connections between healthy microbes and healthy bodies. A growing chorus of post-pasteurian voices are advocating for a new relationship with microbes, one where bacteria are respected and diverse ecosystems valued over sterile surfaces.

In 1892, the biologist Herbert Conn was making startlingly similar arguments for the value of microbes as much more than just germs. He gave his post-pasteurian lecture, “Some Uses of Bacteria” (PDF), only about thirty years after Louis Pasteur invented his method for killing bacteria.